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The Book of Esther 8

8 That same day, King Ahasuerus gave Queen Esther all the property that had belonged to Haman. He had been the enemy of the Jews. Esther told the king that Mordecai was her cousin and that he had been like a father to her. When he learned that, the king summoned Mordecai to come to him. 2 When the king sentenced Haman to death, the king took back from Haman the ring that had the king’s official seal on it and the king was wearing it again. The king now took the ring off and gave it to Mordecai, to show that Mordecai would have the power to act with the king’s authority. Esther also put Mordecai in charge of all the property that had belonged to Haman.

3 Then Esther came to speak to the king again. To show him how desperately she was pleading, Esther knelt down and put her face right on top of his feet. She cried as she begged him to stop the terrible plan of Haman the Agagite to destroy the Jews. 4 The king held out his golden scepter toward Esther, so she got up off the floor and stood facing the king. 5 Then Esther said, “Your majesty, if you think that it is the right thing to do, and if you are pleased with me, please write a new letter revoking the letters that Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, sent out. His letters said to destroy all the Jews everywhere in your empire. 6 I am asking this because I cannot bear to see the terrible thing that is about to happen to my people. They are my kindred. I cannot bear to see people destroy them.”

7 King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “As you know, I have given to Esther all the property that belonged to Haman, and I had my servants hang Haman on a wooden pole because he wanted to kill all the Jews. 8 You also know that no one can revoke a letter that has my name and my official seal on it, such as the letter that Haman wrote. So this is what you should do. Write a new letter to help the Jews, as you think best. I give you permission to put my name on it and to seal the letter with the ring that has my official seal on it.”

9 So the king sent for his scribes. They came and they wrote a letter saying everything that Mordecai told them to write. They wrote this letter on the twenty-third day of the third month, the month of Sivan, in the twelfth year that Ahasuerus reigned as king of Persia. The letter addressed the Jews in the empire, but they also sent copies of the letter to the royal officials, and to the governors and leaders in each province. The empire of Ahasuerus had 127 provinces, extending all the way from India in the east to Ethiopia in the west. The scribes wrote to people in every province using its own alphabet and to each people group in its own language. They wrote especially to the Jews, in their alphabet and in their own language. 10 Mordecai signed each copy of the letter with the name of King Ahasuerus, and he sealed each one with the ring that had the king’s official seal on it. Couriers on horseback delivered the letters. They rode fast horses that were only for the king’s service. These horses were born in the king’s own stables. 11 Each copy of the letter said that the king permits the Jews throughout the empire to join together and to fight to protect themselves. The king’s letter also permits them to completely destroy any group of armed men from any people or province who would attack them. The letter also permits them to kill the women and children of those who would attack them, and to take the possessions of the people whom they kill. 12 The letter permitted all the Jews in every province throughout the empire to do this on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, in that same year. 13 The letter told the officials in every single province to display copies of the letter where everyone could see them so that people would know that the king had commanded this, and so that the Jews would be ready to fight back against their enemies when the day came. 14 The king commanded the couriers to deliver the letters as quickly as possible. He sent them out on his own fast horses. The king’s officials also proclaimed the new law and displayed copies of the letter in the capital city of Susa.

15 The king gave Mordecai special things to wear to show that he was now his most important official. He gave him a blue and white royal garment, a large golden crown, and a purple robe made of fine linen. Mordecai put these on and left the palace. When the people of Susa saw him, they shouted joyfully. 16 The Jews in Susa were very happy, and other people honored them. 17 In every single province and in every single city, wherever the couriers brought the letter announcing the king’s decree, the Jews rejoiced greatly and had big celebrations. Many people from other groups in the empire became very afraid of the Jews, so they became Jews themselves.

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